This article is part of a directory: Game Rant's Ultimate Sci-Fi Guide
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At the risk of stating the obvious, the genre of science fiction isn't just one thing. There are certain characteristics that make something a sci-fi story, but there is a lot of freedom within that umbrella to allow specific stories to vary wildly from each other. Sci-fi isn't a monolith, and there are many ways of engaging with the genre, even for those who don't think that sci-fi is their cup of tea. Though sci-fi has generally been defined by the media in a very specific way, there is a lot of sci-fi that might still appeal to those who don't actually have much interest in science or technology.

This is where the difference between "hard sci-fi" and "soft sci-fi" comes in. Though both technically fall under the umbrella of "science fiction", they have very different ways of going about it. Both are about science in their own ways, but the kinds of science they explore are different and might appeal to different audiences. Both subcategories of this genre are important in their own way, and they both define what it means to be a piece of science fiction. Here's a breakdown of the specific differences between the two, and where one might come across them in the media.

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Hard Sci-Fi

2001 a space odyssey

Hard sci-fi is probably what most people think of when they hear the term "science fiction." Hard sci-fi deals with stereotypical scientific fare such as math, computer science, chemistry, and biology. The language in this type of sci-fi tends to be more technical, and these elements can be the more confusing ones for newcomers to the genre. While both hard and soft sci-fi often deal with technology and futuristic elements, hard sci-fi leans more into realism and attempts to base the "science" part of its science fiction in as much fact as possible. Even if the technology or science itself doesn't exist in our world, it has to be plausible and described with as much accuracy as possible in order to be considered hard sci-fi.

A lot of sci-fi will still include elements of fantasy (hence why a lot of people prefer to group the two genres together under the term "speculative fiction," as it allows those lines to be blurred more). However, hard sci-fi tends to stay away from any fantastical elements, opting for that perceived realism instead. A hard-sci-fi story is first and foremost based in logic, and its main concern is with the technology and science itself.

Examples Of Hard Sci-Fi

the martian

There is a lot of classic sci-fi that is considered "hard," such as Aldous Huxley's Brave New World or Michael Crighton's Jurassic Park or The Andromeda Strain. Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, and Arthur C. Clarke are known as the "Big Three" hard sci-fi writers, and have made significant literary contributions to the genre.

As far as movies go, 2001: A Space Odyssey (written by Arthur C. Clarke) and Blade Runner are some of the most well-known examples of this subgenre. More recent films like Her, Ex Machina, and The Martian also fall under the umbrella of hard sci-fi. A lot of works that fall into the cyberpunk aesthetic, such as Ghost in the Shell, can also be considered hard sci-fi because of their focus on the science of the worlds in which they take place.

Soft Sci-Fi

star wars

Soft sci-fi is more focused on the "soft sciences," including psychology, sociology, anthropology, and other related subjects. If hard sci-fi likes to discuss the science itself, soft sci-fi likes to examine the societal implications of that technology or science and how it affects people. Soft sci-fi does not typically concern itself with the technicalities and detailed realism that hard sci-fi often fits into, and instead pivots towards the more psychological and political elements present in the genre. Soft sci-fi will still have those scientific and technological elements that hard sci-fi deals with, but it doesn't need to explain the science behind it or base it in as much technical realism. Again, the concern is not necessarily with the technology itself, but rather what that tech does to society.

Soft sci-fi is more interested in human emotions, and will often be more about people who exist in these futuristic or alien worlds and their inner lives and conflicts. Hard sci-fi might focus more on engineering and specific scientific processes, while soft sci-fi tends to lean more towards stories of character relationships and delving into fictional cultures. Dystopia and space opera are two of the most popular sub-categories of soft sci-fi, as well as alternative history and time-travel stories.

Examples Of Soft Sci-Fi

dune

Some of the most well-known works of science fiction amongst the general public are categorized under the umbrella of soft sci-fi, including Star Wars, Star Trek, Dune, and Planet of the Apes. George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four is technically considered soft science fiction, as are The Time Machine and The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, often considered the first science fiction novel, is soft sci-fi, as it's more focused on the relationships and inner turmoil of the characters rather than the science of the creation of life itself.

More recent examples of soft sci-fi include The Time Traveler's Wife, Firefly, the Lunar Chronicles book series by Marissa Meyer, and Ready Player One.

Hard vs. Soft Sci-Fi

star trek

There are many sci-fi purists who don't consider works categorized under soft sci-fi to be "real" science fiction, because it's more concerned with the fiction rather than the science. However, since some of the most well-known sci-fi works are technically soft sci-fi, this seems like a bit of a reach. Soft sci-fi stories are just as valuable as hard sci-fi ones, and can actually be a good gateway for new sci-fi fans, as hard sci-fi can often be difficult to comprehend if one is unfamiliar with the genre.

Both categories of sci-fi examine how science and technology affect people and the world. They just go about it in different ways, and thus connect with different groups of people because of this. One isn't "better" than the other; it just depends on what the reader or viewer wants to get out of the experience, and which style of science fiction personally appeals to them more.

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